Kaspersky and Universiti Malaya have entered into a strategic partnership to enhance cybersecurity education and expertise in Malaysia. The collaboration aims to bridge the cybersecurity skills gap in the country by fostering cybersecurity talent and increasing awareness of the field.
23 October 2023 – Kaspersky, a renowned global cybersecurity company, has teamed up with Malaysia’s Universiti Malaya (UM) in a collaborative effort to enhance cybersecurity capabilities in the country. The partnership involves knowledge exchange and mutual consultations, focusing on the development of educational programs and activities designed to raise awareness of cybersecurity and nurture cybersecurity talent.
UM, the highest-ranked university in Malaysia according to the Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2024, recently launched its Masters of Cyber Security program. This collaboration aligns with Kaspersky’s commitment to advancing cybersecurity knowledge and skills on a global scale, as the company has previously partnered with various universities and academic institutions worldwide.
Malaysia is facing a shortage of cybersecurity experts, with only 15,248 identified as cybersecurity professionals in the country, according to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Malaysia. A separate study by Cybersecurity Malaysia indicates that the nation requires an additional 27,000 cybersecurity knowledge workers by the end of 2025.
Adrian Hia, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Kaspersky, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “We are excited to partner with UM to further boost the quality of cybersecurity education and research in Malaysia. Our experts have continuously cautioned that cybercriminals and cyberthreats are becoming more sophisticated and targeted. Combating these threats necessitates highly skilled security professionals, so we are eager to work with UM to train more well-prepared, local cybersecurity experts to protect Malaysia’s ever-evolving digital economy.”
Professor Dato’ Ir. Dr. Mohd Hamdi Abd. Shukor, Vice-Chancellor of UM, highlighted the significance of cybersecurity in the digital age and the surging demand for cybersecurity experts in Malaysia. He expressed confidence in the collaboration’s ability to shape future cybersecurity leaders and emphasize the allure and importance of this profession through UM’s Cybersecurity program.
